Cooperation between University of Kentucky researchers and the IPM program has encouraged seed companies to develop and market new fungus-resistant seed. Growers in Kentucky often experience problems with establishing uniform healthy stands of alfalfa because of extended periods of wet weather. A seven-year program of applied research at the University of Kentucky determined that these problems can be avoided by using alfalfa varieties with high resistance to the root rot fungus, Aphanomyces euteiches.

Improved Alfalfa Stands Result From Local
Knowledge of a Root Rot Fungus

Failure to establish a uniform, healthy stand of
alfalfa after seeding can dramatically affect
profitability and also expose the soil to erosion.
Problems in alfalfa stand establishment routinely
occur in Kentucky when extended periods of wet
weather follow seeding.

What has been done: A 7-year program of applied research has
produced clear evidence that many of these stand establishment
problems can be avoided by using alfalfa varieties with high levels
of resistance to the root rot fungus Aphanomyces euteiches. During
this project, we learned how widespread the fungus is in Kentucky
soils, how damaging it can be to new seedlings, and how much
benefit we can expect from Aphanomyces-resistant alfalfa varieties.

Companies that sell alfalfa seed in the region are now placing a
high priority on developing and marketing Aphanomyces-resistant
varieties for the region. I expect an ongoing shift towards the use of these varieties over the next 5-10 years.
This had essentially been an applied research topic until 1997,
when we began to extend our results heavily. The research program
will be wrapping up in 1998 but extension efforts will continue.

Kentucky producers grow alfalfa on more than 300,000 acres of land,
much of which is classified as 'highly erodible'. Any given year,
6097 acres of seeded alfalfa will be lost due to
Aphanomyces root rot. Appropriate use of this information would result in the following benefits.

Economic Impact: Farmers would save the stand establishment cost of $150 and
first year's yield income of $378 (at 3.5 ton/acre at $108 dollars/ton) for a total of $ 528 per acre established. On a
statewide basis this represents a savings of AT LEAST ($528/
acre for 6097 acres) $3,219,216!

Water Quality: Because many alfalfa fields are on highly erodible
land, and stand establishment requires inputs of agri-chemicals and
tillage operations, increasing the rate of successful establishment
reduces the loss of soil and agri-chemicals to lakes and streams
from 6097 acres.

Non-target Species: Successful stand establishment means agri-chemicals stay in the target area reducing the chance of affecting
other organisms on 6097 acres.

This work is a clear example of the Cooperative Extension Service moving research information developed by Extension Plant
Pathologists into the hands of the private sector.